Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-15
and rode away to the camp of her Free

=
Days went; and poor Stella, scarce
touching food, and mourning all the time
faded away and wilted like a crashed
flower. In vain did Lagona send the
beautiful maidens of his tribe, who had
come to the new location, to wait upon
her and sing and dance for her. They
could not dry her tears; they could not
hush her signs; they could not bring
smiles to her pale and sorrow stricken
face. 1t was evident that the Master OF
Life would soon take her to his bosom
unless some change came to render he1
| less miserable.
Lagona saw and felt this; and it rem
dered him more miserable than she was
He bore it for time; but when he saw
no change in her-that she looked upon
him still with aversion-his noble nature
took supremacy, and he determined to
restore her to her relatives. :
One evening, before the darkness had
comelon, while the still gray of twilight
lay dreamiIy on bill and IoWland-on
rock, and tree and Water-he entered the
pretty room assigned to her, and said,
very low and gently:
"The White Flower must weep no
more! Lagona will take her back to those
who love her, and he will die; for he
cannot live without the White Flower"
| Stella looked up in wonder, but did not
reply; for she had become so hopeless
| that she did not realize that he meant,
| indeed, to give her freedom.
| "Does the White Flower hear the words
| of Lagona?" he asked. she will take
her back to her fathers lodge, that she
may smile again and make glad the hearts
that love her"
"Lagona does not mean what he says"
| she murmured. "He mocks me in my
misery"
"Lagona never eats his words! He
| loves the White Flower! She does not
love him here, but in the land of spirits
she will love him, for he will die for her!
Tomorrow she shall start for the lodge
of her father. Tonight Lagons begs her
to eat and drink, SO that she may be
strong for the Journey"
Lagona said this in a low, firm tone,
and looked so noble, though so very sad,
when he uttered it, that Stella felt sure
he was not deceiving her. Tears rolled
down her cheek again, but now they were
tears of Joy.
"Noble, good, generous Lagona!" she
cried, grasping his hand and kissing it
many times, 81 will neVer-never for
get you? cannot love you, but will
respect you always-Will ever call you
friend-a great, good, honorable mani"
The hand which she held and kissed
trembIed like an aspen leaf, and his
whole frame shook with an agitation
which showed how great was the con-
lict in his bosom-With what a struggle
he conquered his desires and passions.
At last he said, in low and husky
tone;
"Let the White Flower eat and grow
strong, so that she can ride great ways
tomorrow"
"Cannot I go tonight, LsgonaF" she
asked.
cit will be very dark, and the White
Flower must have food and rest to make
her strong" replied the chief.
"Lagona may dream and alter his
mind" said Stella, sadly.
"No sleep will come to Lagona's eyes;
therefore he cannot dream. The White
Flower shall turn her face toward her
fathers lodge and commence her Journey
when the great orb of day begins his walk
across the sky"
The chief said no more, but turned
away and went out. Soon after graceful
Indian maidens entered bearing food of
almost every kind-meats, birds, fishes
and fruits. These they placed before
Stella, as also VINE, which he had pro-
cured in some way, and now offered, TO
give her strength.
"Noble, generous, brave Lagona! Were
he not a savage, and had | heart to
control, it would be his" sighed Stella,
as she saw how nobly and disinterestedly
he was acting, while he was decorating his
own heart and aiding to destroy his own
happiness.
CHAPTER LIv.
The return of Ada McAlpin to the camp
of the Free Rangers, and the announce
ment that upon the morrow they would
break up camp and turn their heads
toward the Rio Grande, caused immense
10Y among those graceless scamps. After
she had made the announcement and re-
tired to her own tent, which was pitched !
at some distance from the rest-as usual,
retiring amid their wild cheers and hur-
rahs-it was determined by them to have |
grand jubilee. Captain Jack
had by some means become !
the master of quantity of
LIQUOR, and as they had an ABUNDANT sup
pl7 of food, a'supper and debauch was to
be the event of their last night in the |
Lone Star State.
In this they were not likely to be dis
turbed by Ada for she, fatigued with a
weary and rapid ride of many leagues, cast |
herself down to slumber, leaving orders
that she should be awakened at dawn.
Such men as those who composed |
Malerson's gang are generally coarse and
sensual in their entire Organization
their animal appetites are all they have to
CRAFTY; mental pleasures are to them I'M
known. A gluttonlsh supper, in this case,
was followed by drinking, in the course of
which many wild story of rapine and
crime was told and received with raptu-
rous applause, and many licentious
song sung, too obscene to ever darken
page which emanates from my pen.
The night wore on, and with each hour
the revelry grew higher-madder. But
those who were the weakest aloft began
to feel the fumes of the liquor in their
upper stories, and to topple down into
scottish slumber where they drank. Others
rose and staggered away to their quar-
tiers, where they also sunk down into the
helples sness OF inebriation. It was not
until after midnight, if so late, when
Captain Malerson, who prided himsef on
his spirit-holding capacity, found him
self alone st the rude table.